The CQC expected just over 8,000 practices to login to set up an online account - the first stage of the registration process. To date around 7,500 practices have done so.

A CQC spokesman explained that although there appeared to be around 500 practices yet to sign up, the true figure could be lower.

He said that practices with multiple branch locations would have received a log-in code for each location despite only needing to create a single online account.

Practices who have logged in to their online accounts were able to choose from one of four ‘registration windows’ - 28-day time slots in which practices are required to submit their evidence for registration.

All available spaces have now been taken in all but the first of the four windows, which opens on 4 September.

Any practice yet to register will therefore be allocated a spot in this first window, a CQC spokesman said, and will have to complete registration by 1 October.

Any practice that fails to set up an online account and register with the CQC could face prosecution for running an unregistered service, he added.

The CQC will now contact all practices that have failed to set up an online account. LMCs will also be reminded to ask their members to get in touch with the regulator, the CQC said.

Need to catch up quickly with CQC registration? GP has organised a special conference in London for GPs and practice managers, called CQC Catch Up on 28 September. Click here to find out more.